Roki Sasaki sweepstakes expected to start at winter meetings

The long wait for Roki Sasaki to be posted may be ending soon.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Saturday that the Chiba Lotte Marines will post Sasaki during the MLB winter meetings, which will take place between Monday and Thursday. Sasaki will then have 45 days to sign with a major league team or return to Japan. The timing of his posting makes Sasaki part of the 2025 international prospect class, giving teams a larger signing bonus pool to offer to the right-handed phenom.

Rated as the top international prospect per FanGraphs, Sasaki has the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation starter as soon as he is signed. His fastball has touched 100+ MPH and mixes well with his plus slider and a splitter that may be one of the best in the world. At 23 years old, Sasaki could be a star for the next decade.

There are some red flags. Sasaki has yet to remain healthy over a full season, topping out at 129.1 innings in 2022. His overall stuff took a step back in 2024 as he lost some of his velocity compared to 2023. However, as Eric Longenhagen at FanGraphs noted, Sasaki was still above average compared to MLB starters.

Sasaki still had a strong showing, even in a "down" year. He posted a 2.35 ERA and a 1.036 WHiP over his 111 innings, striking out 129 batters with 32 walks. A two-time All-Star, Sasaki fired a perfect game in 2022 and followed that performance with eight more perfect innings, struck out an NPB record 19 batters in a game and set a world record with 13 consecutive strikeouts. He has the potential to be one of the best pitchers in the majors as soon as he signs.

While Sasaki has been connected to several teams, his choice may come down to two organizations. Insider Francys Romero reported that Sasaki is already close to deciding, with the Dodgers and Padres as his top two choices. However, a lot can happen between now and Jan. 15, when the new international signing period begins.